The Walking Dead the ninth season opens with a new showrunner, Angela Kang, an equally new opening song, the output Damocles sword of Rick Grimes scene, competition in his own spin-off Fear TWD and a deluge of prejudices.

We come from a season eight that probably marked the low point of the show AMC, well it announced from previous years, which means that either decisively change course or series is better to close its doors before you find out that there is another level of meanness. Of course you know that Andrew Lincoln leaving the show – with accordingly Rick destined for doom – is not a plus and as Daryl is always a certainty, We can not expect that he may judge alone cabin, It could work a few years ago, but now that we're dealing with so many characters, do not.

After too many seasons where we proceeded in slow motion, covering a few days over sixteen episodes, The Walking Dead It takes a huge time step. It is indeed spent a year and a half since the war with Saviors, which immediately catches the eye seeing the little Hershel, that is, the son of Maggie and Glenn. At Maggie boy gave his father's name, He died in the third season at the hands of the Governor – is a blow to the heart to meet you in the same day we learned of his death interpreter of Scott Wilson – I accept that they have no small surprise me here, because they saw the "exploitation" of the ship-Maggie Glenn I could have sworn that the chosen name was Glenn.

If in the introductory part of the episode were you able to recognize all the characters appeared in the previous season and from which none of the various confrontations managed to lighten, congratulations, I will definitely have used more. So much so that I wondered if that Ken who continued to show us had already appeared in the past and, if not, if it was worth learning how to distinguish. The answer to both questions is no. On the way back from the expedition to Washington DC, Ken dies trying to save one of the horses from a zombie, perhaps a foolish death, but who has not screamed the run to save the poor animal?! Ken's death is the fuse that brings to light the cracks of what initially seems a newfound peace. The first few minutes in fact give the illusion that the reconstruction dreamed Carl and sets by Rick in the season finale actually took place: Hilltop, The Kingdom, Alexandria Sanctuary and work together to build a future. It seems that those doubts with which we had left were dispelled in this half year. Obviously (and fortunately, because we're not here to watch the post apocalyptic version of "and they lived happily ever after") it is not true and it is here that is the theme of this ninth season: the difficulties of the construction of this new community, an internal struggle and veiled in place of the open clash between different groups.

The first sign of this we had had him in the season finale with the alliance Maggie-Jesus-Daryl against Rick decision to save the lives of Finnegan. After a year and a half in which it is assumed that Maggie and Daryl have followed the Rick line, both manifest never soothed concerns, the second deciding to abandon the control of the Sanctuary, the first presenting itself as an alternative to Grimes both in words and deeds. Maggie in fact becomes the protagonist of the second part of the episode when Gregory, exploiting the pain of the parents of Ken, He convinces the father of the latter to kill the leader of Hilltop. Although the woman helmets in an obvious trap, it is clear that the attempt is bound to be ineffective – Gregory was expecting a lot more cunning plan. For Rhee is the straw that breaks the camel: Gregory was executed in the public square, hanged before the community, an impassive Jesus (therefore no longer professes devotion to the right and misses), to upset Rick and Michonne and with the complicity of Daryl. An act procrastinated for a long time in the name of the supposed distinction between good and bad but just as long as it was labile. In front of Rick request for help to the former Saviors, Maggie fact pulls back, or rather it gives its availability only in exchange for something; ora, It is not the same thing as did the Saviors? A Rick still like to believe that all these exchanges of supplies are on a voluntary basis, Rhee but makes it clear that she is not so. And it does so openly contesting the leadership of Grimes "When We Were fighting the Saviors, you said soon you’d be the one following me, but you didn't, cause I wasn’t someone to follow. That changes now”. As understood his attitude, Maggie leader who unfortunately continues to leave me very puzzled, I hope it proves something more than to drive a tractor, speak in a flat tone and sentence in full regalia like a bad version of Daenerys Targaryen.

The infighting, however, is not only threatened by the alliance of Hilltop, Sanctuary in fact not everyone is happy with the new status and, as in the best tradition of riots, dirty walls with slogans praising Finnegan. Of the latter there is no sign for the moment, But we know it's in Alexandria, why Maggie no longer set foot.

There is also space to shippers of Richonne with a couple of scenes that confirm the continuation of the relationship between the two, while those who never surrendered to a loving place for Daryl and Carol, He will have to do it now: the woman is in fact officially couple with Ezekiel that would even marry.

This episode marks the first definitely a step forward compared to previous seasons with the novelty in terms of storyline corny opposing the new community governed by the new bad guy bad as the previous. It can not however define an exciting start with the slowness that dominated the first half hour and the usual thousand faces to distinguish; we can consider an introductory episode that is because it provides the basis of the new storyline, but a little 'pepper more would not be spoiled, especially since it premiere. Going to make it The Walking Dead to climb the slope?

Rating all ’ episode: ♥♥ – they went up to Washington and even a trip to the White House, mAh!

[This post is also found from our sister company Andrew Lincoln Italy, I thank you for your cooperation]